A Better Bachelor Pad
Author:Lindsey ShookDesigner Regan Baker conceives a stylish grown-up space for a first-time homeowner
THE TERM “BACHELOR PAD” can conjure up images of ugly recliners crowding a living room, card tables masquerading as dining surfaces and humdrum posters pinned to beige walls. But that’s far from the case here: The bachelor, Alan Ledford, enlisted interior designer Regan Baker to turn a blank slate of a San Francisco Victorian into a modern venue for entertaining friends and hosting out-of-town family.
Virginia native Ledford, who works in the tech industry, desired “something that was kind of artistic and grungy,” says Baker, who was responsible for the new furnishings, textiles, light fixtures and accessories. The home’s palette and patterns were also her purview. A chair that belonged to Ledford’s grandparents and a gumball machine—a reference to Tuesday’s Sweet Shoppe, the Los Angeles candy store he co-owns—were among the few things that he brought to the 3,100-square-foot abode.
Baker created a living room scheme anchored by a pair of brass-and-oak coffee tables as well as ample seating— courtesy of a dark gray linen sofa and a couple of green velvet-covered wing chairs—all grounded by an etched, hand-dyed rug. Ledford’s sleeping quarters feature a custom leather headboard mated with bedside pendant lamps that accentuate the 10-foot ceiling. Elsewhere, his favorite color takes center stage to stunning effect, with the office’s walls, moldings, shelving and door painted green.
To lend an edginess to the building’s period details, Baker introduced dramatic wallcoverings. On a large wall in the dining room that extends down the stairwell, a wallpaper comprised of large brush strokes speaks to Ledford’s fondness for abstract art. The master bathroom surprises with a skeleton motif, while a dark and moody floral envelops a guest bathroom. It all adds up to interiors that perfectly suit the client’s taste, she says—right down to the vintage gumball machine that only dispenses the green variety. -Anh-Minh Le